Thread tension unit for shuttles



Nov. 7, 1939.

R. G. TURNER THREAD TENSION UNIT FOR SHUTTLES Filed Jan. 20, 1938 pu Q mm ey mm m IIIII K e o irl 11V? un VG n. L w mm M u! I h mii d@ n @Q3 MX www ou v R n# mm mm M @NBW u. M k mm. B 5mm@ d@ v i a l l .E 1|-. onmmov Q M n@ n n m n M N Patented Nov. 7, 1939 PATENT OFFICE THREAD TENSION UNIT FOR SHUTTLES Richard G. Turner, Worcester, Mass., assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application January 20, 1938, Serial No. 185,936

9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in shut-` tles and it is the general object ofthe invention to provide an improved self-contained unit readily attachable to the loom and carrying the movable and stationary parts around which the thread passes.

It has been common `practice heretofore to drive a set of spaced pins into the wood of the shuttle and also pivot tothe latter a wire having several coiled loops positioned to move between the pins under tension of theweft which passes through the loops and around the pins. An elastic has also been used to return the looped wire to normal position away from the pins to create the necessary tension or take-up in the weft thread. It is an important object of my present invention to mount these several parts on a single carrier which is inserted into a transverse i slot in the shuttle.

In order that the tension of the elastic may be Varied it has been customary to extend the same through or attach it to a screw which could be rotated with respect to the shuttle for the purpose of 'tightening or loosening the elastic. It is another object of my present invention to utilize this elastic adjusting screw as a means for holding the thread unit in place in the shuttle. The elastic adjusting screw is located between the ends of the unit which engage the vertical walls of the slot and therefore cooperates with the latter to hold the unit securely in place.

`While the elastic adjusting screw serves the purpose of restraining motion of the unit transversely of the shuttle in the slot, Ifind it desirable to provide additional means in the form of a shuttle carried screw to engage the unit at a point spaced from the elastic adjusting screw. This relation provides two shuttle carried devices to engage the unit at spaced points to prevent twisting of the same. p

It is a still further object of my present invention to provide additional means for resist-` ing transverse motion of the unit inthe slot by striking from the unit certain tongues positioned Aand. adapte-d to spring into holding relation with respect to the wood of theushuttle. As shown hereinafter the tongues are directed so that should the unit work loose for any reason the only direction in which it could move transversely of the shuttle is forwardly where it could not damage the reed of the loom.

It is still another object of my present invention to set the unit comparatively close to the tip of the bobbin and cut away portions of the top and bottom plates of the unit and also adjacent parts of the shuttle to provide ample room for the so-called ballooning of the weft during rapid unwinding.

With these and other objects in View which will appear as the description` proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein a convenient embodiment of my invention is set forth,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a shuttle having my invention `applied thereto,

Fig. 2 is a View similar to the left end of Fig. 1, but with the parts of the shuttle and unit shown in horizontal section,

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the shuttle looking in the direction of arrow 3, Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the unit,

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 5`5 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 6 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on line 6--6 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, the shuttle S is preferably of the type carrying a so-called quill for non-automatic weaving and has a spindle I mounted at the right end thereof and also locks I I to hold the head I2 of the weft carrier W carrying a mass of thread T. Each end of the shuttle has the customary steel point I4 provide-d with an inwardly extending shank I secured in the usual manner in the wood of the shuttle. These parts may be of usual construction and of themselves form n-o part of my present invention.

In carrying my improvements into effect I provide the shuttle with a horizontal transverse slot 2li having top and bottom walls 2| and 22, respectively, an-d inner and outer vertical walls 23 and 2B, respectively. This slot may be made by a single transverse cutting operation in the manufacture of the shuttle, and is much simplerthan prior constructions. Up to the present time it has been customary to provide horizontal slots in the shuttle which are offset from each other with respect to the length of the shuttle. Such a procedurerequires accurate cutting and also several operations,`whereas the slot 20 represents but a single cut requiring but one setting of the shuttle in the cutting machine.

The unit comprises a sheet of metal folded as suggested in Fig. 4 to have top and bottom plates 25 and 26, respectively, which are connected at their left edges as seen in Fig. 4 by an outer wall 21. The bottom plate 26 is turned up along its inner edge to form two spaced walls 28 extending up to the top plate 25 to support the latter. These walls 28 are comparatively narrow as shown in Fig. 2 to denne between them a slot or" considerable width for the thread. The upper ends o the walls 28 may if desired be welded or in any other manner secured to top 25, but I do not consider this essential.

rIhe iront edges of the top and bottom plates may be curved to conform to the outline of the shuttle as suggested at 3G and there are extending between the upper and lower plates and adjacent to their curved edges a pair of thread guide pins El secured to the unit in any approved manner. A row of tension pins 32 spaced uniformly from each other also extend between the top and bottom plates and are secured to them in any desired manner. These tension pins may lie on a line diagonal with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shuttle.

A pivot pin 33 also extends between the upper and lower plates to be secured thereto and has pivotally mounted thereon a swinging tension wire Erl having loops 35 so spaced as to be movable to positions between the tension pins 32 when in the dotted position shown in Fig. l. A stop pin 'JS secured to the top and bottom plates limits rearward motion of the wire 35.

lIhe parts thus far described in connection with the unit are all contained within the latter and are assembled with it prior to insertion in the slot 28.

An elastic ill is secured to a bent end 4| of wire 3ft as shown in Fig. 2 and extends toward the center of the shuttle in the same general direction as does the wire 34. An elastic adjusting screw t extends through the wooden parts of the shuttle above and below the slot 20 and through the upper and lower plates 25 and 26, respectively. This screw is slotted to receive the inner end of the elastic 40 which is knotted so that it may be held by the screw, all as shown in Fig. 2.

The upper plate 4G is formed with a depression A8 struck down from the top and positioned to receive a holding screw lll spaced from screw 45 and threaded into the wooden part of the shuttle above slot 2Q. nIhe lower end of this screw 139 projects into and exerts downward pressure on the depressed area i8 and acts with the screw l5 to prevent angular motion of the unit in a horizontal plane when the shuttle is in normal weaving position. The heads of screws 45 and 49 lie below the top of the shuttle where they cannot entangle the top shed of the warp threads not shown. The screw has its lowest end threaded into the wood of the shuttle and can be turned to vary the tension of the elastic 30. The screw i5 passes through punched holes [t5 in the top and bottom plates and 25.

As shown more particularly in Fig. 4, I strike from the top plate a pair of rearwardly extending tongues 5&3 which are somewhat resilient because oi' the sheet metal material of which the unit is made. rlihe rear ends of these tongues press upwardly against the top wall 2| of the slot 20.

Both the top and bottom plates are slotted as at 55 and the shuttle slot 20 may have recesses 55 and inclined upwardly and downwardly, respectively, from the slot 20 and in alignment with the slots 55. The provision of the slots 55, 56 and 5l permit the weft thread T ample room in which to move as it unwinds from the bobbin during the night of the shuttle. lhe means already described for holding the unit in place serve also to hold the, slots at the inner edge of the unit in alignment with the corresponding inclined slots formed in the wood of the shuttle.

After the parts have been assembled to form the unit it is inserted into the slot 2l) from the rear side Sil of the shuttle, the tongues being slightly depressed during this operation. When the unit has reached its proper position transversely of the shuttle the screws l5 and 9 will be placed as already described and these together with the tongues 5t hold the unit securely to the shuttle. The tongues and also the screw 139 exert downward pressure on the unit so that the floor 26 thereof is seated closely against the bottom of the slot Z0. Any tendency on the part of the unit to move rearwardly, or back along the direction from which it was inserted, will be resisted by the tongues 55.

The weft leading from the quill is passed through the loops 35 when the latter are in the dotted position shown in Fig. l, the thread thereby being drawn along a path in front of the tension pins 32 and the elastic being under increased tension. Thereafter the wire 3Q is released and the elastic moves the parts back to the dashed line position shown in Fig. 1, the stop pin 36 limiting motion of the wire 34 under inuence of the elastic. When the shuttle is moving to the left the thread T will pass from the last loop 35 at the left end of the wire along one or both of the guide pins 3l and extend to the right. When the shuttle moves to the right however the thread will extend around the outermost pin 32 and through a notch 6l cut into the wall 2l deep enough to permit the thread to enter a thread groove 62 formed in the wooden part of the shuttle. During iiight of the shuttle slots 56 and 5l will permit the thread to balloon or swing outwardly from the quill as shown in full lines in Fig, 6 and in dotted lines in Fig. 2 when passing 'from the weft carrier to the iirst of the loops 35.

The various pins 3l, 32 and 36 serve to support the top plate 25 with respect to the lower plate 26 at points between the walls 27 and 28 and give the shell of the unit desired rigidity so that it does not compress or deform to interfere with the swinging of the wire 34. The latter may have an extended end 'l0 serving as a hand hold by which the weaver may move the wire 3d to threading position with the loops between the tension pins 32.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have mounted the essential parts of a pull-back shuttle eye tension in a single carrier which is located in a slot out through the shuttle by a single operation. It will further be seen that the close fitting of the walls 2l and 28 of the unit against the adjacent walls of the shuttle tend to prevent not only longitudinal motion of the unit in a direction along the axis of the shuttle, but also prevents twisting or angular motion in a horizontal plane. The only part which I have shown as extending entirely through the unit from top to bottom is the elastic adjusting screw which is rotated to vary the tension of the elastic. The screws l5 and G9 connect the unit to the shuttle at two spaced points to olier further resistance to angular motion of the unit and also to prevent the latter from moving transversely in the slot 20. Furthermore, the tongues 5U project upwardly to be embedded slightly into the top wall of the slot 25 by their own resilience and preferably, though not necessarily, extend rearwardly so that should the unit work loose for any reason it cannot move rearwardly out of slot Z0 to damage the loom` reed. It will also be seen that the top and bottom walls of the unitland also adjacent parts ofthe Wood of the shuttle are cut away to provide ample room for the weft thread, thereby making it possible to bring the end of the weft carrier nearer the unit than has been possible heretofore for the purpose of shortening the over all length of the shuttle. I

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

l. In a loom shuttle having a weft compartment and a transverse slot extending through the body thereof, a tension unit located in the slot and comprising spaced top and bottom plates secured together, a pivot pin extending between and connected to the plates, a tension wire pivoted on said pin and having a plurality of spaced thread receiving loops, tension pins extending between and secured to the plates and located between said .loops when said wire is in a given position, resilient means connected to the wire, and holding means supported by the shuttle and extending through theiplates to hold said unit in position in the slot, one end of the resilient means being connected to said holding means and the other end connected to said loop wire.

2. In a loom shuttle having a weit compartment and a transverse slot communicating therewith having top and bottom walls and end walls spaced with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shuttle, a thread tension unit having spaced top and bottom plates extending along the top and bottom walls, respectively, of the slot and having end walls connecting the plates together and extending along the end walls of the slot, a thread tension unit means located between and supported by the plates and including a resilient element, and holding means for the resilient element supported by the shuttle and extending through the plates and movable relatively to the shuttle and plates to a plurality of positions to vary the tension in said resilient element, said adjusting member by engagement with the plates preventing transverse motion of the plates in said slots.

3, In a loom `shuttle having a weft compartment and a transverse slot in one end thereof, a tension unit located in the slot comprising spaced top and bottom plates, a pivot pin extending between and secured to the plates, tension pins extending between and secured to the plates, said pins assisting in supporting the plates one with respect to the other, a tension wire pivoted on the first named pin and having loops movable to positions between said tension pins in a given position of the wire, an elastic element connected to one end of the wire, and a holder for the other end of the elastic supported by the shuttle and extending freely through and rotatable with respect to said plates to vary the tension of said elastic element and preventing movement of said plates in said slot.

4. In a loom shuttle having a weft compartment and a transverse slot, a pair of vertically spaced plates secured together and located in said slot, a pivot pin extending between and secured to the plates, a plurality of tension pins extending between and secured to said plates, said pins assisting in holding the plates in vertical spaced relation, a tension wire on the pivot pin having loops movable to positions between the tension pins, an elastic connected to one end of the tension wire, an adjusting screw for the elastic carsaid plates, one of said plates having a depression spaced from the adjusting screw, and a second screw carried by the shuttle and extending into said depression, said screws preventing transu verse motion of the plates in the slot and the second screw resisting angular motion of said plates about the rst screw.

5. In a loom shuttle having a weft compartment and a transverse slot, a tension unit located in the slot comprising spaced top and bottom plates connected to each other, a pivot pin supported by the plates, tension pins supported by the plates, a tension wire mounted on the pivot pin and having loops movable to positions between the tension pins, means to move the tension wire away from the tension pins, and a tongue struck from one of said plates and extending into holding relation with respect to an adjacent part of the body of the shuttle, said tongue extending in a direction inclined vertically and rearwardly to prevent the tension unit from moving rearwardly in said slot.

`6. In a loom shuttle having a weft compartment and a transverse slot, a tension unit located in the slot comprising spaced top and bottom inherently resilient plates connected to each other, a pivot pin supported by the plates, tension pins supported by the plates, a tension wire mounted on the pivot pin and having loops movable to positions between the tension pins, means to move the tension wire away from the tension pins, a tongue struck from one of said plates and extending by its inherent resilience into holding relation with respect to an adjacent part of the body of the shuttle, and a holding screw carried by the shuttle and extending into holding engagement with the plate having the tongue thereon, said tongue and holding screw tending to force the other plate against the body of the shuttle.

7. In a loom shuttle having a weft compartment and a transverse slot located in the `body of the shuttle, a tensioning unit comprising a pair of spaced top and bottom plates located in the slot and having edges extending transversely of the shuttle adjacent the weft compartment, said plates having notches cut in said edges and extending from the latter toward the adjacent end of the shuttle, and the body of the shuttle having vertically extending slots in alignment with said notches, a thread tension unit supported by and located between the plates, and means to hold said unit in the slot, said notches and slots in the body of the shuttle vertically aligned therewith providing space for movement of the weft as the latter unwinds and passes from the weft compartment to the thread tension unit.

8. In a loom shuttle having a weft compartment and a transverse slot located in the body of the shuttle, a tensioning unit comprising a pair of spaced top and bottom plates located in the slot and having edges extending transversely of the shuttle adjacent the weft compartment, said plates having notches cut in said edges and extending from the latter toward the adjacent end of the shuttle, and the body of the shuttle having vertical slots in vertical alignment with said notches, a thread tension unit supported by and located between the plates, and means to hold said unit in the slot, said notches and slots in the body of the shuttle vertically aligned therewith providing space for movement of the weft as the latter unwinds and passes from the weit compartment to the thread tension, the slots in the body of the shuttle vertically aligned With the notches extending in a diagonal direction vertically and toward the center of the shuttle.

9. In a loom shuttle having a weft compartment and a transverse slot, a tension unit located in the slot and comprising a sheet metal shell having spaced top and bottom plates connected together by a vertical wall extending transversely of the shuttle, thread tension elements located between and supported by the plates, means to hold the plates against transverse motion in the slot, said Wall having a notch in the forward end thereof and the shuttle having a thread groove in horizontal alignment with the notch in the Wall.

RICHARD G. TURNER. 

